Organize Contact Information: Hall Of Fame

Here's lots of ideas of how to organize contact information, shown by readers who've completed all or parts of the Contact Information Organization Challenge here on the site, which is part of the 52 Week Organized Home Challenge.

This hall of fame is here to inspire you, and show you some of the many ways you can get your contact information organized and back under control, including both paper and digital methods.

As explained in greater detail within the Challenge article itself, part of being organized is having contact information, such as telephone numbers, addresses, and other similar information available at your fingertips instead of having to waste time searching for it.

To help you with this challenge I've created several printables you can fill out including:

So here's ideas from readers, showing their method for keeping all this information organized and readily available. If you'd like to show off how you do it, I'd love to see as well. You can submit your photos here, and I'll add the best ones to the site!

Paper Address Books & Similar Systems Work For Many

Some people still swear by paper for organizing contact information, including using address books, Rolodex's and other contact organizing systems.

Here's some examples shown by readers of what they use.

The first is from a reader, Jane, who still loves using a printed address book. She submitted the photo above, saying, "Love my Levenger address book. The tabs for each person/family/business are removable and you can put them in and out however you want them. Love it."

You can find similar address books here:

You can also go with a Rolodex or similar system, like another reader, Paula, uses. She explained, "For convenience I understand the digital versions, but when power and networks are out I must have all important information written down too."

You can get a Rolodex system here:

Finally, you can make your own contact form or organizational system, like a reader, Linda, did. She sent in the photo above, and said, "I'm utilizing an old wood cigar box I found one day. I cleaned it up, and it fits 4x6 index cards. I stopped at Staples today and picked up ABC card dividers. I'm working on this for my household phone/address info. I'm using some 4x6 recipe card dividers that I can write the category on to make sections for repair services, bank, stores, etc. I can fit more info on each card. Should info change just make a new card. I feel this will be more attractive than a clunky Rolodex, although I will keep up my Rolodex for business. Working on this, the slips of paper in front of the box-trash! I still have more contacts to make cards for, but I'm well on my way!!!!"

Digital Organization Of Contacts

While many people still like to use paper systems for organizing their contacts, many others have switched to digital.

You can, of course, keep contacts on your phone, but you can also use things like spreadsheets.

The screenshot above comes from a reader, Carter, who uses a Google docs spreadsheet for mailing addresses.

She explained, "I have all my contacts, with phone numbers, saved in my phone, but for mailing addresses I've started using a Google Doc spreadsheet. I have everyone's mailing and/or physical addresses, and I inserted columns to the left to track the Holiday cards received and/or sent to that person/family. I have people divided up by sides of the family, as well as neighbors, work friends, etc, so finding addresses are easy. And because it's a Google Doc, it's available on my phone or home computer or anywhere with an Internet connection, but you can work on it offline as well. It's been working really well for me for about a year now."

I like the idea of keeping this type of information accessible through something like Google docs, or on Dropbox because Carter's right, then it makes it easy to access just about anywhere.

Create A Contact Binder To Keep Everything Together & Handy

The key to getting your contact information organized is to gather all together, where you're not searching in many different places to find something. That's why I really like this idea from a reader, Samantha, who showed the Contact Binder that she created.

She explained, "This is the living room drawer that has the contact binder (In Case of Emergency contacts, copy of my contacts from my iPhone that I printed out, birthday and anniversary list, and a sheet of return address labels so I can just slap one on an envelope or package instead of having to write out my address). I keep a pad of paper in this drawer and it's deep enough that I can keep a cup of pens and pencils in here too for easy access. I have been thinking about other information that I need to keep in this binder (perhaps the recycle schedule and what can and can't be recycled flyer, the hockey schedule when it's hockey season and hubby is working the college games, a quick insurance page in case of emergency, etc.)."

You can either create a binder that is just for addresses and similar types of contact information, or you can create a section in your household notebook that holds it. But the point of consolidating it into one space is a good one, because it makes it easier on you, which is the whole point of organizing this information to begin with!

More Home Storage Solutions & Organizing Ideas

I hope you enjoyed these real life ideas for organizing contact information.

In addition, if these ideas have inspired you to organize the paper in your home make sure to check out the Paper Organization Series here on the site for even more ideas and articles.

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Comments for Create A Contact Binder To Keep Everything Together & Handy

3x5 index cards works great. You can add, edit, or remove an entry while still maintaining alphabetical order.

when no power memorizing is bestby: Anonymous

Remember Hurricane Sandy? All sorts of people couldn't call family, friends because of lack of power for their cell phones, they couldn't access the numbers. Kids and teens should be asked to memorize at least 2 or 3 very important phone numbers!!

ICE - "In case of emergency"by: Christine

I still use address book despite the technology boom. I let my children memorize vital numbers which might be helpful just in case. I also place the acronym ICE beside some names and numbers. It stands for 'In Case of Emergency' to remind me (or others) which numbers are important.

just print out a hard copy from your computer periodicallyby: Lynn

Or you can start by printing your contacts from your computer in the size you prefer, quarterly, to keep your lists updated.

don't like address books, I like Rolodex or index cardsby: Christine

I hate address books because people move. When my husband and I were getting married I compiled the necessary addresses and made 3 X 5 cards. Now I use 3 X 5 rolodex cards. I can add and delete people and everything stays nice and neat.

what I keep on my index cardsby: Elizabeth

I use index cards. I have all their info, first and last name, name of their children, address and phone number. Then I have them organized alphabetically of course. This way if all else fails because they keep changing their number or address I can throw out the card and make a new one. I like having them in hand. (I have their kids names so I have correct spelling for birthday invites and birthday cards.)

Rolodex cards + business cardsby: Denise

At work I use a Rolodex and staple the business cards I'm given to the card in the Rolodex. Simple and saves time and you know you can read the numbers.

Wish I had done this earlierby: Bev S

My cell phone died and since technology is so prominent, I had added all my info in phone and well lost everything, phone numbers, address's, birthdays etc, because I had stopped updating my address book. Not anymore!

Google contactsby: Anonymous

I use Google contacts to organize all my contacts. It syncs seamlessly on my phone, computer, iPad and anywhere else I might need to access it. I love that it finds duplicates to merge if I entered a person's cell phone in one place and emailed them from another. I have different labels such as family, clients, co workers, neighbors, etc. I also use a label for each of my kid's classes, so I can quickly email all the parents if need be. One label is Holiday cards which is very handy in December. As we decide we should add them to our list, they get that label. Each contact can have more than one label, i.e. family and holiday, or client and holiday. This is handy too because if I can't remember Sally's last name, I don't have to remember if I filed her under her last name, her first name, her company. I just search for Sally and any and all Sally's come up. Because it's always backed up to the cloud, I don't have to worry about phone dying, a computer crashing, a flood, or when I get a new phone. Just sync my google account, and I'm done. There are sections for notes about the person, I can enter birthdays or anniversaries, kids names.

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